| caption: |
feasts of merit in Chongwe |
| text: |
In Chongwe too there are feasts of merit. For the first one, the Maubat, a forked post is set up in front of the house and a buffalo or mithan is sacrificed. Only married men can perform the feast. It gives them the right to add several layers of palm leaves to their roof fronts as well as to build a field hut in the shape of a widely expanding buffalo horn. They also are then allowed to wear a certain cloth. The second feast is called Manyonggeibu and culminates in the setting up of a stone monument on a place in front of the morung. But again a forked post is set up in front of the donor's house. This feast can be repeated as often as is desired. It gives the right to carved house posts, one of which has the carving of a man, that is a human figure. Some blood of the sacrificed mithan, pigs and chickens is smeared onto the stone. (33) A man has to be married for this feast, too. Finally I do find Chinyang and he is gladly willing to accompany me to Longkhai. |
